This study investigated the impact of conversational agent formality on the quality of summaries and formality of written summaries during the training session and on posttest in a trialog-based intelligent tutoring system (ITS). During training, participants learned summarization strategies with the guidance of conversational agents who spoke one…

Evaluates several types of text used for beginning reading instruction (texts based on high-frequency and phonetically regular words, as well as the trade books of current literature-based reading programs) by examining the tasks each poses for young readers. Examines for each particular type of text what a beginning reader needs to know about…

Examined types of simplifications made in four authentic texts used in the second-language classroom, and investigated if there were differences in recall scores based on whether students read simplified or authentic versions. Findings indicated that a high percentage of modifications made were lexical in nature and that recall scores for…

Examines the role of the teacher in enhancing students' reading comprehension. Finds that the teacher is a more significant factor in the comprehension of lengthy natural texts than is the ease of the text itself. (MG)